Currently, Joseph Buddenberg is on house arrest and can only leave the apartment for very specific engagements, never to stray from the path taken to get there. Fortunately there is a supportive network that exists in the Bay area to pick up certain items he may need from week to week. Here is one more way we can support Joseph while he is going through this tough time. All you have to do is follow the link to his Amazon.com wish list that was set up, and find something that you might like to order for Joseph, or pass it along to a friend.

Thank you, and stay tuned for more updates on Nicole and Josephs case and ways you can plug in to support them.

One of two animal-rights protesters accused of freeing 2,000 minks from an Illinois fur farm two years ago pleaded guilty Friday in connection with the case.

Kevin Johnson, who also goes by Kevin Olliff, pleaded guilty to “conspiring to travel in interstate commerce with the purpose of damaging an animal enterprise,” according to the plea agreement filed in federal court.

The pair are suspected of traveling across the U.S. to free caged animals, including those on mink farms and a fox farm in Roanoke, Illinois.

Both men are veteran animal-rights protesters and are soliciting financial support, according to a website called SupportKevinandTyler.com.

The feds say that in addition to freeing the caged minks in Morris they also tore holes in a farm fence to aid the animals’ escape. They also allegedly vandalized two farm vehicles. The raid was touted on websites associated with the Animal Liberation Front, an organization the FBI has said poses a terrorist threat.

Though some of the farm’s animals were recovered, many died, according to neighbor Darren Caley.

“A lot of them got hit by cars, and a lot we found in a cornfield dead,”‘ Caley said. ”They were hand-reared and didn’t know how to hunt, so many of them starved to death.” [EF! Newswire Editor’s Note: See every other statement given by fur farmers after a raid for similar misinformation.]

According to Friday’s plea agreement: “Of the 2,000 released minks, approximately 600 died or were never recovered. The remaining minks lost their resale value because the breeding cards were removed and destroyed.”

But in a statement from Vandalia prison, published by supporters on his website in February, Kevin Johnson reiterated his support for animal rights protests.

“I have seen more animals languishing in cages than I can remember,” he wrote.

The two were pulled over late at night in Roanoke, Illinois in what appears to be a routine traffic stop. When they refused consent to a search of the vehicle, the police searched the vehicle anyway. Inside, police allege they found bolt cutters, wire cutters, muriatic acid, ski masks, and cammo clothing.

Kevin Olliff and Tyler Lang were subsequently arrested for “possession of burglary tools.” The police have not made any statement as to what they believe the intended “burglary” target was, and Kevin & Tyler were not arrested on anyone’s property. Their history as activists appears to be the sole basis for the charges.

Their new support site cautions that details on the arrest are still emerging :

“Many details are not known, and there are some we cannot post publicly yet.”

They face a maximum of 3 years in prison.

To recap

The two were not arrested in the commission of a crime.

The two were not arrested on anyone’s property.

They were not arrested near the scene of any crime.

Their only “crimes” are being known animal rights activists in (alleged) possession of wire cutters.

Exorbitant bail amounts set

Shortly after their arrest bail was set. After the prosecutor asked for much lower bail amounts, the judge went beyond the prosecution’s request and set bail at $100,000 for Tyler Lang, and $200,000 for Kevin Olliff.

These amounts are far above normal. In Illinois, $15,000 is the standard bail for Class 4 felonies.

The two remain in Woodford County Jail, pending the outcome of a bail reduction hearing in the future.

How you can help

A support site has been set up to post updates on Kevin and Tyler’s case. Right now, here’s what you can do:

Send books: Mail rules at the Woodford County Jail are considerably more reasonable than most larger jails. Anyone can put any book into an envelope and send directly to Kevin or Tyler (both softcover and hardcover). Their book wish lists are posted here.

Send letters: Anyone can correspond with them via email or written letters. With email, prisoners at Woodford County jail must send the first email. To start an email correspondence, tirst send a written letter with your email address and they will email you a response.

Dear friends,We sincerely regret to inform that Jordan Halliday lost his appeal this morning. We have attached the 10th circuits ruling below.

It is crucial that we show solidarity and support for Jordan in everyway we can. We are calling for solidarity actions from January 21st – 28th, 2012 to show support for Jordan Halliday and grand jury resistance.

During the summer of 2008, the FBI approached Jordan at his place of employment; he refused to answer their questions and told them to leave. They warned him that they would return with a subpoena to testify before a grand jury and six months later they followed through with their threats. They subpoenaed both Jordan, and another ‘activist’ Nikki Viehl who chose to testify. Jordan, however, chose to resist the grand jury in protest due to its abusive and archaic nature.

In March 2009, Jordan appeared before federal grand jury investigating a series of underground animal liberation activities in Utah. He asserted his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination. The court jailed Jordan for nearly 4 months under civil contempt of court in an effort to compel him to testify. The day after Jordan refused to testify, the grand jury indicted Alex Hall and William James Viehl under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.

The week following his first grand jury appearance Jordan (still in jail) received a second subpoena, which he again refused. While in jail, Jordan also received letters of support from all over the world, made friends, and confidently reflected on his decision not to snitch.

Upon release the court charged Jordan with federal criminal contempt of court, to which he pleaded guilty in August 2010.

There are no sentencing guidelines for criminal contempt. However, the government decided to follow the guidelines of “obstruction of justice”, which has a 10-16 month sentence range. Fortunately, the court only sentenced Jordan to the low end of 10 months. However, Jordan and his attorney believed this was far too much, and appealed for a guideline range that more closely relates to his charge. They appealed to the 10th circuit court of appeals asking that the sentence be reevaluated under the guidelines for “failure to appear”, which has a 0-6 month sentence range.

In November 2011, Jordan’s attorney argued his case orally before the 10th circuit court of appeals in Denver, Colorado. The feeling of hostility and bias could be felt from the beginning and in an unusually fast ruling (it usually takes 3-6 months to rule), the 10th circuit denied Jordan’s appeal exactly a month and a day after his oral argument in Denver.

It is ironic to note, that also today, baseball legend Barry Bonds received a 30-day house arrest sentence which will likely be reduced for perjury, while lying to a grand jury regarding steroid use in December 3, 2003. It’s unfortunate that Jordan, who didn’t lie, rather just simply refused to testify, isn’t a celebrity.

United States history to be charged with criminal contempt of court after already serving time for civil contempt, for the same act of recalcitrance.

Over the past 20 years many animal rights, environmentalists, anarchists and otherwise radical activists and communities have suffered subpoenas and coercive incarceration, but rarely for more than a few weeks. But at present we are experiencing an increase of pressure. Shortly after Jordan’s incarceration an Iowa grand jury subpoenaed Carrie Feldman and Scott Demuth, and held them in civil contempt for four months. Fortunately, neither Carrie nor Scott has been charged with criminal contempt.

Jordan’s case sets a crucial new precedence in terms of grand jury resistance. While friends and family converge to show support and solidarity for Jordan in this time of great sadness, we are calling out for an eruption of many more moments, for acts of recalcitrance anywhere and everywhere, for actions that show solidarity with Jordan Halliday and grand jury resistance. We are asking that support and solidarity begin immediately. But we will also be focusing on and asking for massive global solidarity actions from January 21st-28th, 2012.

I know it seems like forever ago that Jordan Halliday was first called to a
Grand Jury which he resisted. In a way it was forever ago, he was first
approached by the FBI in 2008 regarding local mink farm raids in Utah. He
refused to cooperate with the FBI and was told he would face a subpoena to
testify in front of a grand jury. Six months later the FBI followed
through, Subpoenaing both Jordan and another ‘activist’ who chose to
testify. Jordan however chose to resist the grand jury in protest due to
its abusive and archaic nature.

Grand juries are called when the government lacks evidence to indict an
individual for a crime. Witnesses are subpoenaed to testify before the
grand jury in hopes of providing evidence to the prosecution. Little is
known about these secretive proceedings, because all information is
considered sealed and classified. A witness that is called before a grand
jury is not allowed to have a lawyer present with them in the grand jury
room.

In recent years activists have seen an increase in subpoenas to grand
juries. These subpoenas are often used to harass and intimidate legal
above-ground activists, like Jordan feels is the case, in his situation.
The prosecutor can ask any question and if you refuse to answer or if you
lie, you could be held in contempt of court or perjury. With no lawyer
present for the witnesses, prosecutors can often ask for information not
relevant to a crime in hopes to harass, intimidate or ‘fish’ for
information, in a secretive manner which many consider a modern day witch
hunt. Jordan said he was mainly asked information about his friends,
family, and general life and refused to answer any of them. Continue reading →

The last of the imprisoned SHAC 7, Kevin Kjonaas, has been released from prison to a halfway house, having served nearly five years in a federal prison.

The SHAC7 are 6 activists and a corporation, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA Inc., that were found guilty of multiple federal felonies for their alleged role in campaigning to close down the notorious animal testing lab, Huntingdon Life Sciences. They were never accused of actually smashing windows, liberating animals or even attending demonstrations, but rather reporting on and encouraging others to engage in legal demonstrations and supporting the ideology of direct action.